Morrison looking forward to rehab-free offseason

For the first time since 2010, Logan Morrison won't have to rehab a surgically repaired knee in the offseason.

September 22, 2013|By Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

WASHINGTON – His pending nuptials will make this an atypical offseason for Logan Morrison. From a baseball standpoint, he's looking forward to a more run-of-the-mill couple of months.

Morrison, who is getting married Nov. 2, has spent each of the last two winters recovering from right knee surgery. For the first time in a while he can focus on becoming the offensive difference maker the Marlins have long envisioned.

"It's going to be fun being able to actually strengthen instead of rehab and not have to worry about how my knee feels because I know it's healthy," Morrison said. "I'm giving it some rest after the season then getting after it, strengthening my legs, core, all that good stuff to help me be a better baseball player.

"The knee feels great compared to how it has felt. I still get aches and stuff like that, but night and day. I'm happy with how my knee is, body health. Now I have to work on being more consistent on the field."

Morrison, who has a .246/.334/.386 slash line through 280 at-bats, has not struggled to maintain consistency with his charitable endeavors. His tireless work raising money for the American Lung Association and initiatives like Project LoMo, which empowers kids to make a difference in their communities, earned him the Marlins' Roberto Clemente Award nomination.

"Obviously you don't do the things off the field as far as community and charity-wise for the recognition, but it's great to be honored," Morrison said. "You race that race to beat the course, not the competition. It's an honor to be nominated, but not a goal."

In a pinch

Pinch-hitting to start the seventh in the Sunday matinee, Juan Pierre reached on a single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Donovan Solano sacrifice fly.

Pierre's 2,216th career hit gave him sole possession of 174th on the all-time list. It also was his 12th in 41 pinch-hit at-bats (.293).

"That felt good," Pierre said. "It really makes you feel like I'm part of the game when that stuff happens. Basically that's what my career has been based on, getting a single, stealing a bag, trying to get to third base with less than two outs. That's pretty much how I draw up my home runs right there."